Briton transforms Indian sprinter childhood tag into ready to fight ‘extreme sport’ gender rule again

WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 201712 13 James leaves Real, hopes for second chance at Bayern Page 15

LAUSANNE: From left, Casey Wasserman, Chairman of 2024, Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles, International Olympic Committee, IOC, President , Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris and , Co-president of Paris 2024, gesture, during a press conference after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Extraordinary Session, at the SwissTech Convention Centre, in Lausanne, Switzerland, yesterday. —AP Paris, LA to host Summer Games

LAUSANNE: The International Olympic said, making clear that it did not want to reject three-way pact was achievable. speculation it was open to 2028. “LA is ready dollar facilities that were left to crumble and Committee agreed yesterday to award the either candidate. to throw these Olympics in two months if we rot, while the billions spent in public money 2024 and 2028 Games at the same time, effec- Bach lobbied for a double hosting plan, PARIS ‘READY’, LA TO WAIT? are asked, or two decades if it came to that offered no long-term benefit to the host com- tively guaranteeing that Paris and Los Angeles which won unanimous approval from IOC Delegations from the two cities-led by because we have everything ready,” Garcetti munities. will be the hosts. members at a meeting yesterday in Lausanne, French President Emmanuel Macron and LA’s said, while noting the city was still “competing Los Angeles has stressed its near entire The French capital is tipped to stage 2024, Switzerland. With the deal in place, the IOC Garcetti-were in Lausanne to make fresh for 2024.” Bid chairman Casey Wasserman reliance on private funding while vowing to with the California metropolis having hinted now has a two-month window to negotiate pitches to IOC voters. Paris has maintained a reminded that Los Angeles had not given the use the Games to broaden access to sports that it was prepared to wait four more years. with Paris and Los Angeles over which city will tougher line on the 2028 question, insisting it IOC “ultimatums” over the 2024 question. The across the city, something it won praise for The two cities were the remaining candidates go first. Bach said he wants a “tripartite agree- was focused narrowly on 2024, the centenary city last hosted the Games in 1984. “Working doing following the 1984 edition. for the 2024 Olympics, a contest that IOC boss ment” before the IOC’s main annual meeting anniversary of the city’s last Games. hard to get the Olympics for the United States While Paris has equally focused on leaving Thomas Bach said created “a golden opportu- in Peru’s capital Lima on September 13, when “I am here to convey a message to say our (L.A.). Stay tuned!” President Donald Trump a positive legacy, Macron also highlighted the nity”. The Olympic movement has had increas- a vote on the 2024 host had been scheduled. people are ready to host these Games,” said in a tweet, without making reference to a opportunity for France to rally around the ing trouble attracting prospective hosts given Immediately after the double hosting deal Macron told reporters. “After three failed bids particular year. “Olympic values” of tolerance and inclusivity, the soaring costs and taxpayer support was approved, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti we don’t want to lose a fourth one,” he said. saying they were embedded in the country’s required. Paris and Los Angeles mounted pro- and his Parisian counterpart Anne Hidalgo Paris mounted losing bids for the 1992, 2008 ‘GREAT’ OLYMPIC CITIES “DNA.” “It truly is a tale of two great Olympic gressive, exemplary bids that would trim appeared on stage arm-in-arm to thank the and 2012 Games. The Olympic movement has been stained cities,” said a report released last week by the expenses by using existing facilities, the IOC IOC members, a clear sign that the desired The Los Angeles team did little to quell by Games that erected grand multi-million IOC’s 2024 Evaluation Commission. — AFP

TENNIS Venus, Muguruza into Wimbledon s-finals

LONDON: Venus Williams became the oldest immediately apparent when Venus broke in the Wimbledon semi-finalist for 23 years as the five- second game and cruised through the first set in time champion brushed aside French Open winner serene fashion. Jelena Ostapenko, while Garbine Muguruza pow- Having stunned the tennis world by becoming ered past Svetlana Kuznetsova to make it back to the first unseeded player to win the French Open the last four yesterday. last month, Ostapenko was riding an 11-match Williams’ 73-minute masterclass on Centre Court winning streak at the majors. clinched a 6-3, 7-5 victory that made her the most But Ostapenko, 20, was the youngest player left senior player to reach the semi-finals since Martina in the tournament and Venus has scythed through Navratilova in 1994. The American star, who the draw by dispatching a series of opponents reached the last of her eight Wimbledon finals in almost half her age, many of whom idolised the 2009, faces Britain’s Johanna Konta or Romania’s seven-time Grand Slam champion when they were Simona Halep in the last four on Thursday. growing up. Williams was just too canny for the World number 11 Williams, beaten in this year’s fresh-faced Ostapenko, manoeuvering her out of Australian Open final, was knocked out in the 2016 position time and again before delivering the kill semi-finals and is chasing a first major title since shot. After breaking in the third game of the sec- winning Wimbledon in 2008. Williams’ victory ond set, Williams moved into a 3-1 lead, then equalled her sister Serena’s total of 86 main draw endured her only wobble as Ostapenko broke match victories at Wimbledon, the most among back. Williams was unfazed and shattered any active player. Ostapenko’s spirit with another break before serv- She will climb back into the top 10 thanks to her ing out a commanding win. Muguruza powered Wimbledon run, but breaking Serena’s record to into her second Wimbledon semi-final in the last become the tournament’s oldest champion in the three years with an emphatic 6-3, 6-4 win over WIMBLEDON: Spain’s Garbine Muguruza returns against Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova during their women’s singles quarter-final match on the eighth Open era is her sole focus. “I love this game. That’s Russian seventh seed Kuznetsova. day of the 2017 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, yesterday. —AFP why I put in the effort and the time. It’s a beautiful Since winning her maiden Grand Slam title at game. It’s been so good to me,” Venus said. the French Open last year, Muguruza has struggled Martinez, who became the only Spanish woman to Konta, who takes on Simona Halep bidding to year. Konta was reduced to tears by what she felt “The competition keeps you growing. You have to return to the top and this is her first major semi- win Wimbledon in 1994, and the lessons appear to become the first British woman to reach the semi- were threats and intimidation from the Romanian to get better if you want to stay relevent. “I love the final since that Roland Garros triumph. have done the trick. “I played good. I’m trying not finals since Virginia Wade in 1978. fans in Constanta during her match against Sorana challenge. It’s not always easy dealing with the to think a lot, just go for it and play my game. I’m Not since Jo Durie in 1984 has Britain had a Cirstea, but Halep fanned the flames this week pressure. It’s only you that can have the answer.” STORMY happy it worked out,” Muguruza said. “It seems far female representative in the last eight and Konta, when she claimed her compatriots had done noth- Twenty years after making her Wimbledon Muguruza, beaten by Serena in the 2015 away since I last made the final here. I’m a com- hoping to become the first home winner of the ing wrong. Halep has extra motivation of her own debut, Venus was playing in her 100th singles Wimbledon final, will face Coco Vandeweghe or pletely different player. “It means a lot to make the Wimbledon women’s title since Wade in 1977, has as a victory over Konta will guarantee she takes match at the All England Club, while Ostapenko Magdalena Rybarikova in the last four. semi-finals again, my breakthrough was here.” added incentive to go a step further against Halep over from Angelique Kerber as the new world was in only her eighth. That gulf in experience was The 23-year-old is being coached by Conchita Following Venus onto Centre Court is Johanna after their stormy Fed Cup encounter earlier this number one. — AFP